Race track



"Jul 23, 1929.

F. 1.. FINCHAM 1,721,512

RACE TRACK Filed June 18, 1927 2 Sheets Sheet 1 (3% l 4 n will .9

y 3, 1929. F. L. FINCHAM 1,721,512

RACE TRACK Filed June 18, 192? 2 Sheets-She et 2 q .9 2/ 5 z/ Z5 2] y 35 f6 2 5 30 5 1 a) 11 i Z4 a I Z9 6' W a 55 Z 34 III/4 Patented July 23,1929.

2 UNITED STATES FRANK L. FINCHAM,

OF MIAMI, FLORIDA.

RACE TRACK.

Application filed June 18,

This invention relates to apparatus for training dogs to chase gameanimals and also nr ivides mechanism whereby dogs may be. phrmilted andencouraged to race and when racing be free to run at their utmost speed.The invention provides novel means whereby a decoy animal or lure may becarried around, a race track and at a point,

ish be shifted out of the path of th or dogs. The invention isillustrated in th accompanying drawings and 's in certain novel featureswhich will iter firs ully desi )cd and then more particular-l; pointedout in the append ed claims.

' 'ie drawings:

. e l is a plan view of an apparatus enibzidying the present in vention;

Fig. is a view partly in side elevation and rtly in longitudinalSQCtlOH;

Fin. 3 is a detail horizontal section;

Fig. 4-. is a transverse F ion on the line of Fig. 3 and illu. ting thedecoy raised.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail, of the connection between the carriage andthe means for propelling the carriage.

The race track indicated at 1, may be perman ntly built of concrete orother durable mat l. or it may be constructed in portable sections sothat it may be disassembled and reassembled at will and thereby easilymi l from place to place for er-zhibition purposes. The track compriscsabase 2 of suhstanti lly ellit tical or elongated form and ha a rail 3erected thereon at a in d (,hsiancc from its edge and parallel with theedge throughout the length of the same. This rail has secured to itsouter side at intervals brackets ibetween which are disposed upper andlower track members 5 and (S which are securl respectively to the undersides of the upper brackets and the upper sides of the lower brackets.As shown most clearly in Fig. 1, these track members are spaced apartvertically and are provided in their opposed faces with longitudinalgrooves or channels whereby they may receive support and guide asprocketchain 7 of any approved design, the chain being housed betweenthe true: members so that it will be held to a fixed path and will alsobe protected thereby to be maintained in an operative condition at alltimes. At one point in the apparatus and preferably near the finish, therail 3 is constructed with a 1927. Serial No. 199,775.

notch 8 to accomn'iodate a casing 9 in which is mounted a sprocket wheel10 having a beveled gear wheel 11 fixed to or formed integral with itsupper side. The sprocket wheel meshes with the chain 7, as shown in Fig.3, and the beveled gear wheel 11 meshes with a beveled pinion 12 fixedupon the outer end of a shaft 13 which is journaled in a bearing 14carried by the casing 9 and haviug spur gear 15 secured upon its innerend. The casing 9 is, of course, of a proper design to enclose theentire gearing, except the spur gear 15 and thereby guard the elemen tsof the gearing from possible damage by reason of persons treadingthereon and also so enclosing the moving parts that the racing dogs willnot come in contact therewith and be injured. The spur gear 15 mesheswith a driving pinion 16 on the end of the shaft 17 of an electricmotor, indicated conventionally at 18, the motor being illnstrated ascontrolled through a pedal actuated switch, as indicated at 19, andconnected through a cable 20 with an convenient source of currentsupply.

At one point in the chain 7, two links thereof are constructed withbrackets or lugs 21 projecting outwardly between and beyond the trackmembers 5 and 6, and to the outer ends of these lugs or brackets arepivotally attached the arms 22 of a carriage 23, said carriageconsisting of a plate of. light but durabze material rigidly secured tothe arms 22 and equipped on its under side with a bracket 2% in which ismounted a roller 25. There is also secured to the carriage an arm 26projecting outwardly therefrom and hava roller or wheel 27 mountedthereon, the wheel 27 being disposed so as to run upon the track 1outwardly beyond the smaller roller 25, as will be readily understood,and the arm 26 is extended beyond the wheel 27 and has a decoy or lure28 secured upon its outer end. In the present instance, the decoy isrepresented as an imitation of a rabbit. i

Mounted upon the track 1 at one side thereof and adjacent the pointwhich is selected as the finish of the race is mounted a lever 29 whichis disposed in the path of the roller 25 and has one end pivotallysecured to the foundation or board 2 while its opposite free end isconstructed with a longitudinal slot 30 adapted to be engaged by theterminal 31 of a crank arm 32 carried by the outer end of a rock shaft33 which is journaled in a suitable bearing upon the tracktransverselyto the same and extends through the rail 3, as shown in Figs. 1 and at,and is equipped at its inner end with a shorter crank arm 34:. The crankarm 34 is disposed at a right angle to the crank 32 and normally thecrank 32 rests upon the track 1 so that the lever 29 will be held in itslowered position while the crank 34 stands up to be engaged by the footof an operator. IVhen the decoy is to be moved out of the path of theracing animals, the

crank 34 is swung down and the shaft 33 thereby rocked so that the crank32 will be swung up to the position shown in Fig. 2, thereby causing theterminal 31 to ride in the slot 30 and raise the lever 29 into theinclined position shown in Fig. 2. The carriage which is traveling withthe sprocket chain will thereupon be caused to ride up on the triplever, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, and consequently the carriage will beswung into an upright position about its pivotal connection with its.brackets or lugs 21, as

shown in Fig. 4, the decoy being thereby lifted from and held above thetrack.

It will be noted that the sprocket chain which imparts travel to thecarriage is positively supported and guided through its en- I tirelength and is also entirely enclosed so that it cannot come in contactwith the racing dogs and injure them. The speed at which the chain willtravel may be controlled by the operator manipulating the pedal switch19 so that the decoy may be also kept ahead of the animals and just outof their reach but the animals will be unconfined and, consequently,running free may display their utmost speed. When the race is to close,the crank 34: is swung upward as described and thereupon the decoy ismoved into the raised inoperative position, as shown, the motor, ofcourse, being then stopped. When another race is to be staged, it isnecessary merely to return the rock shaft 33 to its normal position,whereupon the decoy carriage will be lowered. The apparatus is veryeflicient and is not apt to get out of order inasmuch as it is simple inconstruction and free of complicated arrangements of its parts. It iseasily manipulated and may be readily operated wherever it is set up. I

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. In an apparatus for the purpose set ,forth, the combination of a bed,vertically spaced rails supported on the bed and following the outlinethereof, an endless propelling element-- .mounted between and guided bysaid rails, means for actuating said element, brackets carried by saidelement and projecting laterally therefrom beyond the rails, a decoycarriage hinged to said brackets and arranged to run upon the bed, andmeans mounted on the bed for swinging the carriage upwardly at willabout its hinged connection with the propelling element.

2. An apparatus for the purpose set forth comprising a bed, verticallyspaced rails mounted upon the bed, an endless propelling element mountedbetween and guided by said rails, means for actuating said element, acarriage hingedly connected to said element and arranged to travel onthe bed, a trip lever mounted on the bed in the path of the carriage,and means for actuating the trip lever whereby to swing the carriage toan upright position free of the bed.

3. An apparatus for the purpose set forth comprising a bed, a trackmounted on the bed, a propelling element fitted to and guided by thetrack, a carriage hingedly connected to said element and provided with awheel arranged to run upon the track, a trip lever pivoted at one endupon the bed and disposed in the path of the carriage and provided atits free end with a longitudinal slot, a rock shaft mounted on the bed,a crank on said rock shaft having one end en gaged in the longitudinalslot in the trip lever, and means for actuating the rock shaft to swingthe trip lever upwardly.

4. In an apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination of a bed,a track supported over the bed, a propelling element fitted to andguided by the track, a carriage hingedly connected to the propellingelement and arranged to run upon the bed at the side of the track, atrip roller mounted on the under side of the carriage, a trip levermounted on the bed in the path of the triproller, and means foractuating the lever at will to raise the carriage from the bed.

5. In an apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination of a bed,a rail erected on the bed, vertically spaced track members carried bysaid rail at the outer side of the same and having longitudinal groovesin their opposed faces, a chain engaged in said grooves, a carriagehingedly connected with said chain to run on the bed at the outer sideof the rail and the track members or be swung up above the trackmembers, a casing secured in the rail, a sprocket mounted in said casingand engaging said chain, and means for actuating the sprocket. V

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

' FRANK L. FINOHAW, [L 8.1

